This summer at the massive, eco-conscious Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, the promoters introduced a new concept to their already way cool scene: the Planet Roo Academy.

A selection of interactive workshops at the
Bonnaroo Music Fest included Mandala Painting!
Photo: ©Linda Chauncey

One of the classes offered was Mandala Fans. Festival-Goers painted their mandala designs which were fitted with a handle to cool down in style, during those hot southern nights of non-stop dancing…

Lovely hand painted mandalas dry in the Planet Roo Academy Tent.
Photo: © Linda Chauncey

It’s easy to do on your own:

MANDALA FANS

• 12″ cardboard pizza disks, free from sausage stains, preferably  😉 for your substrate,
• acrylic or tempera paints  –  paint on the white side or the brown side, your choice.
• add a stick/handle of choice.  (tongue depressor or wide popsicle sticks)

Other supplies: compass, ruler, variety of paint brushes, glitter, collage materials, glue, scissors

Optional: drying line and clothespins, (clothespins help to hold the stick in place while glue dries, and you dance)

A great activity for workshops or parties, suitable for all ages – young and old!

The MANDALA is flourishing as more and more people engage with the beautiful, infinite geometries of the Circle. It is an art form that resonates harmoniously with our natural rhythms. Many people find these patterns emerge spontaneously once they begin to play with the concept, and regardless of media, the results can be incredible!

Here are a few FREE-HANDERS  (they use no compass and rulers)  I’ve recently been introduced to:

Based in New Orleans, Artist  Joy Pompeo, has been making mandalas since she was a very young girl.

Orange Sun Coral Mandala by Joy Pompeo, via Joy Pompeo etsy site

Her “dot-technique” is not so different than the technique used in indigenous Aboriginal works. She has a nice Etsy shop filled with attractive colorful designs.

Another young woman, Adriane Enns from British Columbia, Canada channels her  “Fresh and Ancient Mandalas”, using a “self-taught nature-inspiraled process”.  I like that term: “nature-inspiraled”.

“Indigenous Nature” 20.5×20.5 in by Adriane Enns

If you are a regular reader, perhaps you remember the work from the sparkling Sarah A. Green of Ordered Chaos? I’ve featured her work a few times here on the blog. See  “Free Bird”,  and 6 Merry Mandala Gifts.

In Progress: “Joy” by Sarah A. Greene, © 2013

Happy summer solstice and super full moon to you all!

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Been bloggin’ here since 2008! Please take a moment to leave a comment and say hello.

Lillian